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New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Game Preview


NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-0) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1-8)

 

SERIES

 

SAINTS

BUCCANEERS

SERIES LEADER

20-14

STREAKS

3 of past 4

COACHES VS. OPP.

Payton: 3-3

Morris: 0-0

LAST WEEK

W 28-23 at Rams

L 25-23 at Dolphins

LAST GAME

11/30/08: Saints 20 at Buccaneers 23.  Tampa Bay K Matt Bryant kicks game-winning 37-yard FG with 1:55 remaining.  Buccaneers defense registers 2 INTs in final minutes of win.

LAST GAME AT SITE

11/30/08

BROADCAST

FOX (1:00 PM ET): Sam Rosen, Tim Ryan.  SIRIUS: 126 (NO), 158 (TB).  XM: 103 (NO). 

STATS

PASSING

Brees: 199-291-2,559 (1C)-19 (1C)-9-104.6 (2L)

Freeman (R): 32-63-417-4-2-79.9

RUSHING

P. Thomas: 94-492-5.2-5

Williams: 106-418-3.9-3

RECEIVING

Colston: 39-613-15.7-6

Winslow (TE): 42-454-10.8-5

OFFENSE

426.1 (1L)

276.3

TAKE/GIVE

+6 (3C)

0

DEFENSE

343.0

379.2

SACKS

Smith: 7.5 (T3C)

Wilkerson: 5.5

INTs

Sharper: 7 (1C)

Talib: 5 (T3L)

PUNTING

Morstead (R): 43.0

D. Johnson: 41.4

KICKING

Carney: 73 (40/42 PAT; 11/14 FG)

Barth: 17 (5/5 PAT; 4/5 FG)

 

 

NOTES

SAINTS Are 9-0 for 1st time in team history.  Average 36.8 points per game, most in NFL...QB DREW BREES aims for 4th in row vs. division with 300+ yards.  In past 3 vs. division, has 1,024 yards, 7 TDs, 3 INTs & 104.1 rating.  Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 16,469 pass yards.  Has 2,636 yards (329.5 per game), 24 TDs, 7 INTs & 118.9 rating in past 8 vs. NFC...RB-PR REGGIE BUSH had rush & rec. TD last week.  Has 2 TDs vs. TB (65-yard PR-TD & 42-yard rec. TD).  Has 30 career TDs (17 rush, 9 rec, 4 PR) & is only Saint to score via rush, rec. & PR.  RB PIERRE THOMAS aims for 4th in row vs. division with rush TD.  Had 20-yard TD catch in last meeting...WR MARQUES COLSTON had 6 catches for 106 yards in last meeting.  Has 10 TDs in past 12.  WR ROBERT MEACHEM aims for 3rd in row with TD.  TE JEREMY SHOCKEY has 458 receptions since 2002, 3rd most in NFL by TE.  KR COURTNEY ROBY had 97-yard KR-TD last week, his 1st TD since 2005...DE WILL SMITH has 5 sacks in past 3 & aims for 4th in row with sack.  S DARREN SHARPER has INT in 2 of past 3 vs. TB, incl. 88-yard INT-TD.  LB JONATHAN VILMA had sack in last meeting... 

 

BUCCANEERS QB JOSH FREEMAN has 4 TDs in 1st 2 NFL starts...Team is 10-0 when RB CADILLAC WILLIAMS has 22+ carries.  Has 3 rush TDs in past 2 meetings.  Rushed for TD last week.  RB-KR CLIFTON SMITH is 2nd in NFL with 30.1 KR avg...WR ANTONIO BRYANT has rec. TD in 2 of past 3 vs. NO (48 & 39 yards).  Has 19 catches for 345 yards (115 per game) & 3 TDs in past 3 division games. WR MAURICE STOVALL had 33-yard TD reception last week.  TE KELLEN WINSLOW had 7 catches for 102 yards last week, 2nd 100-yard game of season.  Since 2006, ranks 3rd among TEs with 256 catches.  WR SAMMIE STROUGHTER is tied for 3rd among NFC rookies with 15 1st down receptions...Defense has 198 INTs since 2000, 2nd most in NFL.  S TANARD JACKSON has 3 INTs in past 4, incl. 2 INT-TDs.  CB RONDE BARBER has posted 3 INTs in game 2 times, both vs. NO.  Has 13 career return TDs.  Is 1 of 4 players all-time with 20+ sacks (24) & 30+ INTs (37).  CB AQIB TALIB has 5 INTs in past 6.  LB QUINCY BLACK had 1st career INT last week...K CONNOR BARTH became 4th player in NFL history with 3 50+ yard FGs in game last week.